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REVIEW: OGIO SHADOW GOLF BAG

Matt Nicholson — Mon, 04 Nov 2024 09:59:08 +0000

The OGIO SHADOW golf bag brings an intriguing mix of style and function to the golf course, blending a classic look with modern touches inspired by luxury sports car design. This limited early release is crafted for golfers who value a sleek aesthetic paired with high-performance features, and OGIO delivers with premium materials, thoughtful engineering, and refined details.

Design & Aesthetics

The first thing that stands out about the OGIO SHADOW is its sophisticated design. The bag features aerodynamic lines and an elegant, minimalist look, OGIO has opted for a premium synthetic leather material, giving it a luxurious feel while maintaining durability for the rigors of the course. The overall presentation of this bag is refined and tasteful, appealing to golfers who want an understated, high-end look without compromising on functionality. Just don’t be surprised what fellow golfing pals continuously ask you where you got your bag from.

The Shadow comes with carbon fibre legs

Technology & Functionality

OGIO has equipped the SHADOW with a robust 4-way top with full-length dividers, ensuring easy club organisation and preventing shafts from tangling. This is complemented by carbon fibre legs that are lightweight yet strong, offering excellent stability on uneven surfaces. The bag has a premium stitched handle for effortless lifting and adjusting on and off the cart.

One of the standout features of the OGIO SHADOW is its nine thoughtfully organised pockets. These pockets are designed to accommodate a golfer’s every need, from a large apparel pocket to a dedicated valuables pocket lined with Nylex for added protection. The magnetic accessories pocket is a convenient touch, allowing quick access to frequently used items. There’s also a zippered valuables pocket, two elastic mesh pockets, and a designated water bottle pocket, making organisation easy and efficient.

Comfort and Wearability

Comfort is clearly a priority in the SHADOW’s design. The bag includes a premium double padded strap with EVA and Fit Disk technology, which evenly distributes weight and minimises strain on the shoulders, I’ve used the bag both carrying and with an electric trolley. Additionally, the molded hip pad with perforation enhances breathability, making the bag feel comfortable even on hot days.

Additional Features

OGIO has also included several thoughtful extras, such as a towel loop, key clip, pen and tee sleeves, and an umbrella holder. These small yet practical additions contribute to the bag’s overall ease of use. Each zip pull and piece of hardware is also made with premium materials, highlighting OGIO’s attention to detail.

FINAL VERDICT

The OGIO SHADOW is an ideal choice for the discerning golfer who values both style and substance. This bag delivers on all fronts: it’s visually impressive, highly functional, and designed with comfort in mind. It’s not just a golf bag; it’s an accessory that elevates the entire golfing experience. For those looking for a premium option that blends classic elegance with cutting-edge features, the OGIO SHADOW stands out as a top contender.

Dimensions 13W X 17D X 35H

Weight 5.6Ibs

Cost £369.00

Click here for more information

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TRIED & TESTED: Callaway Apex Ai300 irons

Nick Bayly — Thu, 26 Sep 2024 16:35:29 +0000

Golf News Editor Nick Bayly puts the new Callaway Apex Ai300 irons through their paces

As a 13 handicapper with an 18 handicapper’s iron game, I like plenty of forgiveness built into my irons, and while Callaway’s new Ai300 irons are billed as a game improvement model, their dimensions and overall look at address are slightly more compact that you’d expect to find in a club that is built for this category of the market.

Having said that, it’s a broad spectrum and this Ai300 irons definitely sit at the low end of that handicap category in that they will suit and appeal to decent ball strikers, and definitely result in some performance gains, whether it be in ball speeds, consistent distance off the middle, as well as those that aren’t struck off the dead centre of the clubface.

My ball flight with the Ai300s was higher than usual, helped by the weighting in the head of the club, and shots into greens ‘dropped and stopped’ which showed me just how much more spin Callaway have in their updated Apex model.

My shots were also longer than usual distance-wise, and dispersion was pretty tight and consistent when I hit a range of shots with each iron in the set.

The lower irons, the 9 and PW, felt effortless when it came to getting the ball up in the air, making them ideal for players like me who often struggle to keep their approaches on the green, as these irons create high ball flight for softer landings.

The compact head frames the ball perfectly at address and features plenty of perfrmance-enhancing properties

Like many mid-handicappers I often feel as though I lose a bit of control when hitting longer irons, and consequently only go up to a 5-iron in my current set.

Although there was no 3- or 4-iron supplied with my test set, I liked how the ball came off the club with the 5-iron, and the mid-to-high ball flight provided a nice combination of distance and dispersion control.

What also impressed me, throughout the bag, was the performance I was still able to generate with less than perfect strike. Having irons with enhanced turf interaction for mishits is also ideal for those who struggle for consistency with their swing.

Overall, I think these are a very well-conceived and executed set of game-improvement irons. The performance gains are evident for mid-to-high handicappers and they also made me want to become a better ball striker, rather than doing all the work for you.

RRP: £1,199/£1,299 (st/gr, 4-PW). For more details, visit eu.callawaygolf.com.

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TRIED & TESTED: DUCA DEL COSMA FONTANA GOLF BOOTS

Nick Bayly — Tue, 14 Nov 2023 17:10:43 +0000

By Nick Bayly, Golf News Editor

There probably hasn’t been a better time to test out a pair of golf shoes that promise to keep your feet dry following the last few weeks of incessant rain that we have experienced in the UK.

With almost non-stop downpours and four named storms before we’re even half-way through November, most golf course’s water tables have long since reached saturation point and even finding a club that is open for play is proving something of a challenge in areas of the country where the soil is less than free draining. But the rubbish weather has at least given me the opportunity to put a pair Duca Del Cosma’s new golf boots through their paces in conditions for which they were purposely designed.

BOOT-STYLE SHOE

Part of the brand’s new Cool Season range – although cool hasn’t really been the problem in the UK in recent weeks – I tested out the Fontana, a walking boot-style golf shoe that boasts a luxurious waterproof leather upper with above-the-ankle support and a cosy fleece lining. Duca del Cosma’s boots come in a wide range of eye-catching styles in the women’s range, while the options for men are slightly more conservative, with black, grey and brown and blue in various different designs. I opted for the navy-blue Fontana, which looks unfussy and is as stylish as you can hope a walking boot to be.

An earlier model of this shoe – the Stanford – that I tested last year had metal hooks in place of the final two eyelets on the laces, which enhanced the rugged walking boot aesthete, but the Fontana has eyelets all the way up, which I didn’t particularly mind, although it makes it slightly harder to loosen when it comes to taking them off. Otherwise, the overall footprint is far from clunky, with the sleek, narrow design and tapered, rounded toe making my size 46s (11.5) not look too oversized. They are also surprisingly light and at no point during my round did I feel like I was having to drag my feet along, despite the heavy going provided by the rain-sodden fairways.

ARE THEY STABLE AND COMFORTABLE

My initial concern that the height of the ankle support would somehow affect my balance or my swing also proved unfounded, and I was able to fully engage my legs and feet in the normal way without feeling constricted or planted.

The padded tongue and cushioning around the ankle provided welcome support, and the main body of the foot feels nicely locked in without feeling squashed, with no lateral movement. Getting the sizing right is key in this respect, and I’d suggest going up at least half a size or even a full size, and wearing a thicker sock if need be.

Out on the golf course, the Fontana ploughed through puddles with the minimum of fuss and water literally rolled off the uppers like water off a duck’s back. The soles feature a mixture of firm rubber nubs rather than traditional cleats, but despite the squelchy conditions I never felt like I was in danger of slipping while swinging or walking.

The Fontana boots are far from clunky and do a superb job of keeping the water out while offering a solid platform from which to swing and walk the course in comfort

AFTER MY ROUND

More importantly, after sloshing and splattering my way through 18 holes, I came off the course with my socks bone dry and my feet looking nothing like the shrivelled specimens that most golfers are used to seeing when wearing standard golf shoes in wet weather, while a quick spray with the air pressure hose at the clubhouse had them looking like new again.

While I’m hoping that the sun will soon make a reappearance and our golf courses will start to dry out, in the meantime I can take solace in the knowledge that I can step out onto of the water-logged links with my trusty Fontanas without fear of growing webbed feet.

RRP: £199

To check out the full Duca del Cosma golf boot range, visit www.ducadelcosma.co.uk/collections/winter-golf-shoes-men

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TESTED: Spornia SPG-7 Golf Practice Net

Nick Bayly — Mon, 11 Sep 2023 08:41:31 +0000

Golf News Editor Nick Bayly – and son – put the Spornia SPG-7 Golf Practice Net through its paces and finds that this lockdown essential is well worth the investment even when practice facilities and swing studios are open for business

Looking back on those dark times of the pandemic when golf courses and driving ranges were shut, one of ways I passed those long, long days stuck at home was watching social media posts showing the various inventive and mostly madcap ways that golfers came up with to keep their golf game ticking over during the enforced hiatus. From turning their living rooms into mini crazy golf courses and chipping balls into dustbins, to hitting balls into bedsheets hanging from washing lines, desperation proved the mother of invention for golfers deprived of their regular fix.

While I bought a load of random stuff from the internet during those crazy times, including an outside tiki bar, a dartboard, a roulette table, a pizza oven and some sourdough starter, the one thing I regret not investing in was a pop-up golf hitting net. With everyone using the garden all at once it didn’t seem fair to take up the space for a hobby for which I was the only participant in my household. Not when someone else wanted a hot tub (that never happened).

Anyway, it turns out I probably couldn’t have ordered one if I had been given the go-ahead as golf hitting nets were selling faster than toilet rolls during the height of the first lockdown and that it soon became harder to get anything resembling a half-decent hitting set-up than it did to get a couple of 1kg bags of 00 flour or, indeed, a haircut. With my fun spoiled, I soon lost interest in watching those videos of smug so-and-so’s who had got in early and were merrily smashing real golf balls in their back garden without fear of breaking their neighbour’s bedroom windows. Some – mainly club pros – had launch monitor and simulator set-ups and were able to play virtual golf courses all from the comfort of their own home. Good for them.

Best Practice Golf Hitting Nets

So, fast forward three years and – not ever to be accused of being late to the party – I’ve just taken delivery of one of the hottest selling items of the Pandemic Period – a Spornia SPG-7 Golf Practice Net. Yes, I know that driving ranges have re-opened and that golf courses are now accepting visitors and, on occasion, new members, but they require me to jump in the car and drive a few miles. This net is right here, right now, and doesn’t charge me £6.50 every time I want to hit a bucket of balls.

Looking at the size of the cardboard box as it came off the delivery van, I was more than a little dubious as to how it could possibly expand to create anything close to a hitting bay capable of containing my random dispersion of shots. But once out of its container, and following a cursory glance at the instruction guide, I had the thing up and running within 15 minutes – probably 10 of which were spent moving it from location to location under the instruction of Mrs Bayly before a compromise was found.

New golfer George Bayly in action on the Spornia SPG-7 Golf Practice Net in the back garden

Covering an area roughly the size of a 4-person hot tub – the precise dimensions are 2.1m x 2.1m x 2m high – the net is robust enough to contain the hardest of drives, and wide enough to cope with most errant iron shots, although my garden shed suffered some minor damage when my 15-year-old son decided that he wanted to give it a go having not picked up a club in several years. The upside of his consistent shank is that he now wants to have golf lessons, and at his age there is still time for him to develop into a LIV golfer and keep me in my dotage. For those that, like my son, are prone to the odd huge miss-hit there are extra side nets that can be purchased, but for those possessing a modicum of ability the net as it comes is more than adequate –providing you set up the hitting matt fairly close to the bay.

The hitting matt – which is an optional extra (£59) – offers three levels of all-weather turf to replicate fairway, fringe and light rough, and while it was fine for me, its narrowness means that new golfers might occasionally find themselves whacking the front of the matt rather than the ball if they get too steep at impact, although there are plenty of bigger matts to choose from.

Another boon of the Spornia’s design is that it returns the ball back to your feet, saving your back and your time, and meaning that you only need a couple of balls, while there is also a separate chipping net that can be strung up for when you want to work on your short game. With concentric catching nets, you can quickly devise a game to award yourself points based on your accuracy. While the net has a roof to prevent higher shots from escaping skywards, I’d advise against using lob wedges unless you have pro-level insurance.

After a month or so’s use, in which time my son and I have hit over 500 shots, I can attest to the net’s durability and its ability to groove your swing and keep your game in shape between rounds. I paired it with a SwingCaddie that had been sitting around in the garage – RRP £285 – that provides distance, swing speed, ball speed and smash factor stats – which provided some useful feedback and helps focus the mind, but with or without a launch monitor it’s a great piece of kit, providing you have the space, a patient partner, and understanding neighbours, whose don’t mind their peaceful evenings being regularly broken by the repetitive ‘thud, thud, thud’ of balls hitting the net.

While I set up the net outdoors, it could just as well be used indoors, in a double garage or large garden shed, or even a specially designed outbuilding, for extended winter use, and paired with all levels of simulator game play options and swing training set ups – but that’s another level of conversation for this particular household!

The Spornia SPG-7 Golf Practice Net is ideal for personal or commercial use in a converted garage or dedicated swing studio and can easily be paired with a launch monitor or simulator for coaching and game play throughout the year

The SPG-7 Golf Practice Net has an RRP of £319.99 and can purchased at spornia.co.uk, along with a range of other training accessories and launch monitor/simulator bundle packages.

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Ian Botham makes golfing comeback

Matt Nicholson — Mon, 22 May 2023 10:15:23 +0000

When Ian Botham was at his least mobile, his son Liam sent him a tube of EthicaCBD Sports Gel and “3 weeks later, he was walking around Sunningdale” (Liam Botham). Within 3 weeks of using the soothing gel, Ian was back walking around Sunningdale golf course and in September 2022 he returned to competitive golfing, playing 3 rounds at the Dunhill Links. Prior to receiving the Gel, Sir Ian had not walked a course for over 2 years.

“This magical stuff should be called a Mobility Gel, rather than a Sports Gel.”

EthicaCBD is a Cornish brand, based in the seaside town, Bude. Chatting with Sean Jack at HPT Sports in Bude, who is seeing the benefits of the Sports Gel as both a stockist and a consumer, he shared that he thought the product should be called something else other than a ‘Sports Gel’, because it’s helping a wide variety of customers with their aches and pains – not just sporty types. Sean personally uses the Gel in the mornings to help with the crooked neck he wakes up with, and his best customer is in fact his mum, who’s seeing notable daily benefits using the gel on her joints.

They started in Cornwall, but the effects of the gel are being felt across the nation. Bristol health store and cafe, Jack the Falafel, shared their thoughts on the topical CBD gel. There’s a running theme here: it works. See below.

“It definitely works. My wife and I have been using this Sports Gel since before we stocked it, and found that it really helps with any soreness in the muscles and joints. Since taking on the product in our cafe/store on Gloucester Road, we’ve heard various customers reporting pretty incredible results. One of my favourite examples:

Ian is now able to play golf without the use of a golf buggy

I saw a customer sitting for coffee with a tube of Voltarol on the table. I opened up a fresh tube of the EthicaCBD Sports Gel and said ‘try this’… I was confident he would notice a difference. He went to the bathroom to rub some onto his lower back, then returned to finish his coffee. Before he left the shop, he gave the tube of Voltarol to his son and bought himself 2 tubes of the gel. It really does work, and people can feel it.”

Accompanying retail, there’s an influx of health experts such as chiropractors and physiotherapists taking this formula on to help their clients reduce pain and improve mobility. This is what Dr Maryellen Stephens of Spinal Health had to say:

“The EthicaCBD sport gel is my new favourite for a natural anti-inflammatory that encourages the body’s own healing abilities. I use it in practice and at home with my kids after sport. I am always amazed at how quickly it can ease pain and swelling in a joint, or create ease in very sore muscles. I have shared it widely with other practitioners who have experienced similar

results. I highly recommend this for more than sports!”

Following glowing reviews from a spectrum of customers, professionals, and even receiving compelling testimonials from Ian Botham and other sporting icons like Nigel Owens and Matt Le Tissier,it’s become clear that EthicaCBD underestimated how powerful this formula would be for helping 50+ individuals improve their mobility. It’s so much more than a sports gel, and as Ian quite rightly says, “People should use it. If they need it, use it.” After all, aches and pains certainly don’t discriminate.

“Let’s get the world moving again. It’s only natural.” – Ruarri Spurgeon, Director of EthicaCBD

EthicaCBD spent 2 years developing this complex formula, hoping to find the perfect way to combine CBD & CBG with loads of naturally therapeutic botanicals. Based on the response they’re having from people of all walks of life, it looks like they might’ve found that perfect recipe.

“Sometimes you can do all the talking in the world, but when it comes down to it, it’s gotta work… and this really works” – Sir Ian Botham

Who are EthicaCBD?

EthicaCBD are very much a local south-west brand, who do everything they can to support the south-west, so it’s a delight to see these guys making a global impact, even earning a win at the World CBD Awards for their topical products.

As the name says, EthicaCBD have gone to great lengths to ensure that every aspect of their business is as ethical as possible. They’re known for creating “the highest quality ethical CBD for people & planet”, so every decision they make holds customer wellbeing and environmental protection as a priority.

For further information please click here

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TESTED: CALLAWAY PARADYM TRIPLE DIAMOND DRIVER

Nick Bayly — Fri, 14 Apr 2023 10:06:36 +0000

Equipment Editor Dan Owen has a run out with the new Callaway Paradym Triple Diamond driver, which has been ripping up the professional tours since its launch at the beginning of the year

It’s been a busy month testing golf clubs. Follow a fitting session with PXG, I’d already had a full bag session booked with Precision Golf. If you haven’t heard of Precision Golf, it is arguably the number one independent custom fitting centre and build shop for golf equipment in the UK, which can be found on an industrial estate somewhere near West Byfleet in Surrey.

As a brand agnostic independent fitter, Precision Golf founder and master fitter Simon Cooper took me through the whole gamut of 2023 driver heads in our session. Finding the best shaft for my game first, Simon honed in on an Accra TZ6 as the shaft that timed most consistently with my swing.

With the shaft in place it was time to find the correct driver head. The Mizuno ST-Z felt amazing but spun too high. Cobra and Ping heads didn’t gel with me, while I liked the TaylorMade Stealth 2 Plus, but couldn’t get launch high enough. The PXG 0311 GEN 6 was a good fit for my game, and I could happily play that driver. But Simon kept going back the first driver we tried, the Callaway Paradym Triple Diamond.

On paper it wasn’t one I’d expect to work for me. It’s a 450cc head designed for stronger tour-level players looking to lower their launch and spin. It’s the driver Masters champion Jon Rahm has been using to great success this season. But it allowed to Simon to optimise my numbers. Because it lowered my spin, Simon was able to loft me up into a 10.5° driver. If you can launch the ball higher while keeping the spin low you will hit the ball further.

While other drivers may have looked better behind the ball and felt better at impact, when paired with the correct shaft for my game, the Triple Diamond was a clear winner. With a very solid impact feel, the head has a smaller slightly triangular shape at address. The two-tone blue and grey crown is quite distinctive, but I love that it has no alignment aid at impact, something I have always preferred dating back to an old Callaway FT Tour driver I used to play.

Like most premium drivers these days, the Paradym doesn’t come cheap, with little in the way of change from £600, and a little bit more if fitted with an aftermarket shaft. And while this was definitely the best driver for me, the Precision Golf process was yet more proof that there is a perfect driver out there for every golfer providing you’re willing to put in the time and effort.

To find your nearest specialist Callaway club fitter, visit eu.callawaygolf.com

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TESTED: GRASSHOPPER GOLF BACKPACK

Nick Bayly — Fri, 14 Apr 2023 09:08:45 +0000

The size of golf bags has grown alongside that of driver heads in recent years, with many players lumbering around Tour-level cart bags on power trolleys that could probably provide a decent Airbnb providing you had access to some clever wide-angled photography. So it might come as something of a renegade move to launch a golf club carrying device that seeks to slim down how much kit you are able to transport around a golf course, but that is the thinking behind the Grasshopper.

Capable of holding up to seven clubs, the Grasshopper looks like and is operated like a ruck sack, with the whole thing designed to be carried on your back courtesy of two padded shoulder straps. The outer shell is made from a water-resistant and extremely durable ballistic nylon, while the interior features padded slots at the bottom for the clubheads, and a horizontal row of plastic receptacles at the top, which the club shafts pop in and out of. This neat arrangement keeps the clubs firmly in place, so they don’t knock against one another while you’re walking.

There’s a mesh interior pocket for balls and tees, and a further zippered interior pocket for wallets and phones, and an exterior pocket on one side for a water bottle, plus a set of shock cords on the other side for carrying an umbrella.

The Grasshopper also features a kickstand which stays folded into the padded back panels of the backpack when not needed, but it automatically flips out to prop the pack up when it’s placed on the ground. There’s also a rain cover, which can be fastened over the whole pack on wet days.

All told, it’s a really clever piece of kit that could well come into its own if you’re playing a short course where a full set isn’t required, or perhaps heading to the range or to a short game academy to work on your wedge play. The very nature of its design means that it’s going to appeal to fit, younger types, and maybe kids just starting out in the game who only carry a half-set, but it’s also setting itself up against a host of brands that offer slimline bags that are designed to be slung over the shoulder with quick access to half-a-dozen clubs.

With its stylish looks and thoughtful design, The Grasshopper is well worth considering if you’re the kind of golfer who likes to stand out from the crowd.

RRP: £255. To find out more, visit www.grasshopperbags.com.

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TRIED & TESTED: ABACUS SPORTSWEAR PITCH 37.5 RAIN JACKET

Nick Bayly — Tue, 22 Nov 2022 16:03:02 +0000

Nick Bayly puts Abacus Sportswear’s Pitch 37.5 rain jacket through its paces and finds out whether its performance claims stand up on the golf course

Following the relentless downpours of recent weeks it’s not been too hard to find a suitable day or two to test out the performance qualities of golfing outerwear, and so it was not long – in fact before my round had even started – that Abacus’s new Pitch 37.5 rain jacket was on trial as I scampered to the first tee in torrential rain.

Like any decent waterproof, the Pitch 37.5 promises to be 100% waterproof, and while no jacket can stop the odd drop from entering the back of your neck, the Pitch performed brilliantly on this score, with water beading like mercury on the surface of the jacket before rolling away or brushed off.

But where the Pitch jacket differs from many leading brands is in the technology inside the material, which not only promises breathability, but also claims to be able to regulate the temperature of your body by forcing moisture out through tiny particles between the outer and inner layers before dissipating on reaching the surface. This technology, which is licensed out to many of the leading activewear brands, as well as leading mattress manufacturers, ensures that the user/wearer remains a constant temperature that enables optimum sleep/performance depending on what product it is found in. Basically, it is designed to stop you overheating.

Without a rectal probe to monitor my core temperature, it’s hard to say whether my body was at the requisite 37.5 degrees centigrade that is said to be when the body feels most comfortable, but after playing 18 holes on a mild but extremely damp day, I can safely say that it did the job, and I remained dry yet comfortably warm, without getting the ‘waterproof sweats’ that are a common occurrence when you have to layer up in some other brand’s jackets.

Just as importantly, the Pitch is lightweight, thin and made from a 4-way stretch material that allows you to swing without restriction. It’s a great fit too, with the jacket feeling snug in all the right places, but without any pressure points. It’s slighter longer at the back than the front, ensuring you don’t get any nasty drafts when you’re kneeling down to line up a putt. And like many modern waterproofs, it’s also noiseless, so no irritating rustling in the backswing. Once taken off, it folds down to barely anything, and given its light weight, is easy to slip into a carry or trolley bag without affecting the load.

The are some other great little other details, including elasticated sleeves that get much tighter around the forearm and wrist area, which prevents material flapping about, while there’s a small patch of a thin rubber-like material on the right shoulder that grips the strap of a carry bag and prevents it from slipping. A high collar protects from wind and keeps out all but the most vertical of rain, while one of the two side pockets features a microfibre cloth on a retaining string for cleaning your glasses – at least that’s what I used it for.

And to complete the package it looks smart too, with a couple of reflective prints and logos that appear on various spots, including on the main zip, giving it a sporty feel. And while it’s clearly designed for golf, it doesn’t scream golf, and could easily be worn out on a winter walk without someone shouting ‘Fore!’ as you saunter along. It is also offered with a matching pair of Pitch waterproof trousers to create a full suit.

All told, the Pitch 37.5 ticked all the boxes that I demand from a waterproof jacket, and the greatest compliment I can pay is that there were times, in the most positive of ways, when I didn’t even feel like I had it on.

RRP: £249, abacussportswear.com

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Bushnell unveils latest feature-packed GPS watch

Nick Bayly — Thu, 25 Aug 2022 16:41:13 +0000

Bushnell Golf has launched a new feature-packed GPS golf watch which boasts a colour touchscreen display, slope-compensated distances and comes preloaded with 38,000+ courses around the world.

The sleek, modern design design allow the ION Elite to also be worn as an everyday timepiece with a visual clock face off the golf course.

On the course, it offfers large, easy-to-read front, centre and back distances, GreenView with moveable pin placement and GreenView, which provides accurate distance based on a golfer’s line of play. HoleView provides access to a visual layout of the current hole in play allowing you to understand what lies ahead for blind shots or doglegs.

“The ION ELITE is ground-breaking and enhances our GPS portfolio. This best-in-class, wearable device is part of our 25-year continuation of producing the best electronic measuring devices in the market.” said Darren Bragg, Bushnell Golf Commercial Manager EMEA.

It offers a 12-hour+ battery life, a shot distance calculator, and the ability to get up to six hazard distances per hole. Preloaded with 38,000+ courses, it also has auto-course recognition and automatically advances from hole-to-hole.

Available at retailers and online from September 1, the ION ELITE Golf GPS watch comes with two colour options (Black and White) and has an RRP of £199 /€239.

For details, visit www.bushnellgolfglobal.com.

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Tried & Tested: Motocaddy S1 trolley and Pro-Series cart bag

Nick Bayly — Sun, 12 Jun 2022 12:57:16 +0000

Golf News Equipment Editor Dan Owen gives Motocaddy’s S1 trolley and Pro-Series cart bag a run out and is impressed by their simplicity and compatibility

The S1 is Motocaddy’s entry-level electric trolley. It may be the cheapest – a relative term in the pricey world of power trollies – but is also arguably its best-looking model. The design reminds me of a US Air Force B-2 Stealth Bomber with all of it angles and its shadowy black outline, although the pop of red gives it a sharp look. But looks aren’t necessarily the deciding factor with trolleys. They need to be easy to use.

And it doesn’t get much simpler than this. With its one-touch folding mechanism, the trolley can be up or down in a matter of seconds, with nowhere to go wrong. While it’s not the smallest trolley when folded, it still fitted comfortably into the boot of a Toyota Aygo alongside my golf bag.

While it is easy to love the Click ‘n’ Connect battery, as it means no cables, it’s the new auto disconnect feature that I really liked. The battery automatically disconnects when the frame is folded down, so there is no chance of the trolley being set off accidentally.

The colour LCD screen is clear and lets you know your speed and battery life, but that’s pretty much it. Which is pretty refreshing for a Luddite like me. Trolleys have become so complicated, with GPS, shot tracking, pedometers and phone alerts, that it’s a nice change of pace before the round to not have to worry about anything other than connecting the battery before you go off and play.

The Pro-Series golf bag, which is offered in black, grey and red, is a perfect match for the S1. With the Easilock connection, the bag and trolley fit together securely without the need for straps. And because the bag is designed to work with the trolley, the pockets are all easily accessible and offer more storage than you could ever reasonably need. The jumbo putter well is useful on the course, especially if you use a putter with an oversized grip.

It’s a cohesive package that looks like it belongs together, but more importantly, works in perfect harmony. You can’t ask for much more than that.

Motocaddy S1 trolley £599.99, Motocaddy Pro Series Bag £209.99.

For more details, visit motocaddy.com.

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